Method for resolderuitg- ice-cans



W. V. CALLENDER, METHOD FOR RESOEDERING ICE CANS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. I916.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Fig.2.

WITNESSES; W M @fl/ IN V EN T0 R %Z[ace FHQZZFJZQQK BY W W WALLACE VINCENT CALLENDER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA METHOD FOR RESOLDERING- ICE-CANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed October 18, 1916. Serial No. 126,419.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE VINCENT CALLENDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods for Resoldering Ice-Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method for resoldering cans employed in the manufac ture of ice; and the objects and advantages thereof will hereinafter appear and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the claims. p

The resoldering of ice cans calls for special consideration since they are generally coated with grease caused by the exhaust from the air pressure crane used to lift the ice cans from the brine tanks, and by the escape of grease and oils from the machinery used in connection with the loandling'of the cans. Tar, pitch, white and red lead are often placed in the seams of the cans to prevent leakage. Solder will not adhere in the presence of grease, tar, pitch, etc., and great difficulty is experienced in removing these foreign substances from the seams to'preparethe same for receiving the solder. Moreover, the size and shape of the cans, together with the location of the seams make it difficult to solder the cans in a satis: factory way. The seams cannot be scraped With tools in view of the difliculty ofgaining access to them and special provision must be made for cleansing the seams in some other way- The peculiar conditions encountered by these cans in practical use require thatthe seams be soldered in an improved way. I

In my invention foreign substances such as grease, tar, pitch, etc., are entirely and easily removed by the use of distillate or similar detergent, Which is poured into the can and heated and allowed to enter the seams. The original solder is next removedfrom the seams by the application of heat to the exterior of the can, a suitable apparatus being provided to receivethecanand heat the seams. Thereafter, a coating of sal ammoniac, or other suitable fluxing agent is applied to the seams, and the latter may also be treated with a solution. of hydrochloric acid, or the like, to provide a more satisfactory. solder receiving surface,the solution of acid being sufliciently weak to prevent indered can.

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary view in section of a seam from which the original solder has been removed by my process.

Fig. 5 shows a similar view of the seam in its original condition illustrating the presence of tar and grease in the seam.

The usual ice can 10 which is rectangular in plan, is about t2 inches in height and has a flanged bottom 11 riveted to the sides and the joint or seam between is filled with solder 12. The cans are provided with a coating of galvanizing 13 over which the solder is placed.

In preparing an ice can for re-soldering, I placea quantity of petroleum distillate such as kerosene or similar detergent ranging in specific gravity and boiling point between gasolene and kerosene into the can and place the latter upon a suitable stand 14, adjacent which is a series of blow torches 15 supplied by fuel from a distant tank 16. With the heat from the torches 15 applied to the can, the distillate will soon boil, causing the grease, pitch and other foreign substances to be dissolved wherever present in the seam. Thereafter the can may be washed with clear distillate or other suitable cleansing agent. n

The can having been cleaned is placed uponthe stand 14 and tilted to one side so as to expose the seam to be treated, directl in front of the fiamesfrom the torches. prop, or other suitable means 17. may be employed for retaining the can in this tilted position. With the aid of an ordinary soldering iron 18 the original solder is melted out of the seam. All of the soldenmay thus be removed without injuring the galvanizing on the can inasmuch as the original solder is of a low grade and contains muchlead. The can is turned 01' rotated from side to side whereby to heat each seam successively and remove the solder therefrom.

After the soldering is removed from all of the seams the can is again placed with the seam to be treated in front of the torches, and a saturated solution of Water and sal ammoniac, or other suitable fiuxing agent, is poured into the seam and heated. The water in the solution evaporates due to the heat, leaving a thin coating of sal ammoniac evenly distributed upon the sides of the seam. This is the step known as tinni-rig.

Preferably, and by way of finishing the solder receiving surface, I our a solution of distilled water and hydroc loric or muriatic acid into the can; this solution containing about nine-tenths water to one-tenth acid. The acid solution is heated and forms a deposit upon the se'am which improves the tinned surface.

It is important in this connection that the acid solution be sufliciently weak so as not to attack the galvanizing around the seam, inasmuch as the removal of the galvanizing exposes the black iron and facilitates ru'st ing thereof; a. H

The heat still being applied to the seam, I apply the new solder, which preferabl contains equal quantities of tin and lea by dropping a small piece of solder into the seam and distributing the same therein by means of the solder iron 18. Thereafter, the can is removed from the stand and set on the floor and cooled from without by any suitable means.- It is important that the can be suddenly cooled, so that the seam will contract to its normal condition of use."

An extra piece of solder is preferably put in each corner of the can to give strength, and also join the solder in each of the seams together, making a complete round of solder in the bottom of the can. The majority or the. leaks in these cans develop, in the corners and this extra amount of solder h-asproven to be of considerable value in preventing early leakage. I

It will be noted thatby the use of my process and apparatus the seams are entirely cleansed of all grease and foreign sub stances, and the original solder is melted out, the surface prepared to reeeive the new solder, and the resoldering carried on almost in a single operation by reason of the fact that in each step, heat is applied to the seams and these steps occur in quick sequence so that the seams are not given an opportunity to cool. The seams, due to, this heat, are kept in expanded condition throughout the operation and the sides thereof maintained at such ,temperature that they can be properly treated with a weak solution of acids for tinning, which will not destroy the galvanizing.

In the ordinary process of soldering, the heat from the soldering iron is depended upon almost Who lly,7even for the purpose of tinni'ng. The flux ordinarily used is powdered sal ammoniac and it is deposited only in patches upon the seams. However, by applying external heat to the seam, and using sal ammoniac in solution as a fiuxing agent, I canobtain an even and proper coating of tin upon the seam inasmuch as all water is evaporated and sal ammoniac is precipitated only where needed, The heat from the'torc'hes causes the solution to boil up in the seam and thereby to deposit a coating of sal ammoniac a short distance up the sides of the can, which forms a solder receiving surface over this area. The boiling of the said solution also removes any salt, calcium, or the like, present in the seams and which cannot be attacked by the distillate. c While it is desirable to improve the fluxby the addition of muriatic acid, this is by no means necessary, and I may apply the solder immediately after the sal-ammoniac' has been deposited. Muriatic acid, however, adds'a certain finish to the solder receiving surface.

The important things in connection with my process, are the thorough cleansing of the seams of all grease, tar, salt, etc, by use of a heated cleansing fluid the use of a fluxing agent in solution which is boiled by external heat, whereby to obtain an even and exact deposit of flux or tin upon the sides of the seam, and the practically continuous application of heat to the exterior of the seams throughout the process.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is 1. The hereindescribed process for repair ingthe seams of cans and the like by resol dering, which consists 'in flooding the seam with kerosene, applying heat to the exterior of the can to boil the kerosene and thereby loosen undesirable adhering matter, removing the kerosene and such loosened matter, flooding the seam with a fluxing solution composed of salammoniac and water, continuing the application of the heat to evaporate the water, and subsequently flooding the seam with solder;

2. The hereindescribed process for repairing the seams of caiis and the like by resoldering, which consists in flooding the seam with a cleansing agent, applying heat to the exterior of thecan to aid said agent in loosening undesirable adhering matter, re moving said agent and such undesirable matter as has been loosened thereby, flooding the seam with a flux solution, applying heat to evaporate the solution, and subsequently flooding thesame with solder.

8. The hereindescribed process for repairing the seams of eansjand thelike by resoldering, which consists in flooding the seam'with a liquid cleansingagent, apply- 7 ing heat to the exterior of the seam to boil said cleansing agent 'and thereby remove from the seam undesirable adhering matter, removing said cleansing agent and such adhering matter as has been loosenedby said agent, continuing said heat and during such continuance thereof introducing a flux soseams of cans and the likeby resoldering, which consists in flooding said seam with a solution of salammoniac and water, applying heat to the exterior of the can for the purpose of evaporating the water and 1eaving a deposit of salammoniac, and subsequently filling the seam with solder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALLACE VINCENT GALLENDER.

Witnesses:

W. W. HEALEI, M. E. EWING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the-Commissioner of Patents, 7 Washington, D. 0. 

